The present invention relates generally to a bracket pressed over the screw housing of the worm drive clamp for attaching a worm drive clamp to a hose.
A worm drive clamp is attached to a hose to facilitate the installation of the hose on a vehicle. The clamps are made of stainless steel to provide for maximum corrosion protection. However, as quick setting glues do not bond well to stainless steel, glues are not a desirable method of attachment.
Worm drive clamps can be attached to the hose by a metal clip spot-welded to the band of the clamp. The clip is attached to the end of the hose and clinched into the interior wall. However, as the clip may damage the interior wall, this method of attachment is also undesirable.
An elastomeric patch or a woven patch of synthetic fabric have also been used as a method of attachment. The elastomeric patch is positioned over the band and vulcanized to the outer surface of the hose. A drawback to the elastomeric patch is that it is time consuming to prepare the surface of the hose and to vulcanize the elastomeric patch. The woven patch is glued over the clamp band, but is difficult to handle, making installation slow. Additionally, both types of patches are unattractive as they protrude over the exterior of the band.
In all of the above-mentioned methods of attachments, the worm drive clamp is attached to the hose at the band. A drawback associated with attaching the worm drive clamp at the band is that the worm drive clamp can twist around the outer surface of the hose as the screw is tightened, causing the screw to travel. If the screw travels into a tight space, problems can result in reaching the screw.
A bracket pressed over the screw housing of a worm drive clamp secures the worm drive clamp to a hose. The bracket is preferably made of plastic and includes a screw housing cover having a large portion and a small portion and a pair of opposing tabs. The tabs extend outside of the screw housing and have an appropriate curvature which approximately equals the curvature of the outer surface of the hose. A protrusion on each of the opposing interior surfaces of the screw housing cover secures the bracket onto the screw housing. The screw housing cover further includes a first end cap located on the front side of the large portion and a second end cap located on the opposing rear side of the small portion to maintain the position of the screw housing cover over the screw housing during assembly. Alternatively, the tabs extend inside the screw housing cover.
During assembly, the bracket is pressed onto the screw housing. After the hose is inserted into the gluing machine, glue is applied on the hose at the location where the tabs will be positioned. A gluing machine clamp block orients the worm drive clamp and brings the bracket into contact with the hose, providing pressure until the glue hardens.
The hose is then removed from the gluing machine with the bracket attached. The worm drive clamp is then tightened around the outer surface of the hose by turning the screw.